Ep. 9: Lois Keller - Community Artist
This week on Her Process, I'm chatting with community artist, Lois Keller. Lois's journey as an artist has taken her from working on backdrops for the Cincinnati Opera, to working on murals with kids, to writing and illustrating a book for her daughters, to working on a portrait series that you just have to see to believe!
Here are some interesting and fun facts about Lois: She once had to paint ballet dancers to look more nude in their nude leotards for a production of Faust by the Cincinnati Ballet...while the dancers were wearing the leotards. She's a vegetarian. She's adopted. Lois loves dogs and has four of them, all rescues. She belongs to the Lois club. Yes, there actually is one and it involves smorgasbord restaurants and highballs!
In this episode, Lois talks about the aforementioned portrait series, The Trader Joe's Feminist Bags. She touches on the importance of learning different artistic techniques so that you have the tools to express yourself, and the importance of creating your own space for making and finishing work. She talks about how her mom's battle with Alzheimer's affects her art, and how the roles of caregiver to her mom and her kids, have influenced and inspired pieces and projects. And, she tells us what it means to be a community artist.
Talking with Lois reminded me of why I started making art in the first place, way back when I was a little girl. I did it because I loved it. Because something inside me needed to do it. Because the doing and the making of art made me happy. It isn't really about the end result, or even where the piece ends up. It's all about the good art can do, and it's about the process.
Without further ado, her is my chat with Lois Keller:
Listen and download on iTunes.
Listen and download on Stitcher.
Edited by the pros at podcastremix.com.
Show Notes:
Lois's Art Blog Twitter Instagram Facebook Lois-Peggy Blog
Laurel True The Trader Joe's Feminist Bags Portrait Series Life Hacks For Kids
Amy Poehler's Smart Girls Alice Guy Blaché From Her at El Tranquilo Gallery & Information Center
Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media What's Your Name Again? SCBWI
From Her at El Tranquilo Gallery & Information Center
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